Property description

Windrush House is a detached six-bedroom stone-built Victorian former vicarage with a Coach House conversion nearing completion, comprising two holiday cottages each with two ensuite bedrooms and artist’s studio.
Set in just under three acres of mature garden and woodland incorporating part of the Wales Coastal Path system, Windrush is the former vicarage for the coastal village of Llanrhystud and dates from 1872. The house has been lovingly restored and improved to modern standards but without losing any of the original features and unique character of this Victorian property.
Situated at the edge of the village, up a short private drive and lane off the main coast road, it has views across the village towards the sea and to open countryside yet is conveniently near to the village services including: A shop and post office; café; the Black Lion pub and restaurant; a church and chapel; village primary school; a petrol station with small supermarket.
The house is a few minutes from the Llanrhystud four star and Green Coast Award rated beach; there is a golf course and private leisure club with pool and gym a short walk away and opportunities for both river and sea fishing; the woodland and garden grounds are home to Buzzard, Rook and Dove families as well as visiting Red Kite, Woodpecker, Swifts, and many varieties of smaller garden birds and butterflies.
The main house has a large kitchen with range cooker and separate breakfast room with a Rayburn. In addition, there are three other generous reception rooms, utility room with sink and toilet and four large useful cellars running the length of the house. The double width staircase leads upstairs to four large double and two single bedrooms (one ensuite) and a family bathroom. There is a second smaller staircase at the opposite end of the landing. The main attic, accessed via fold down steps, has flooring, lighting and two Velux windows. The heating system is oil fired, running from a Worcester boiler, still under guarantee. Mains supply water and electricity, lpg gas for the cooker, private sewerage.
The former Coach House and stables of the Old Vicarage was granted full planning permission and all building stages have been completed and fully approved by the Building Inspector to just beyond First Fix. Whereas the main house has preserved the Victorian design features, the old Coach House building has been reimagined to reflect modern living and make the most of the beautiful rural context of the property by the use of glass and wood. The accommodation is designed to offer flexibility and a variety of possible finishes but at present is configured as two ‘cottages’: Woodland and Garden. Each has 2 ensuite double bedrooms; Garden Cottage has one bedroom on the ground floor designed with extra wide entrance and wet room then on the first floor a very large bedroom with a galleried sitting room / studio space that offers beautiful views across the garden and hills beyond. In Woodland, the main ground floor room has a full height vaulted ceiling, a staircase leading to sweeping curved mezzanine, while tall arched windows bring maximum light into this impressive potential creative studio and living room space. The other end of the living space has a stable door opening into a covered veranda and winding stone steps leading to a sheltered seating area, then on to a secluded deck. Woodland kitchen space is designed to open up into the West courtyard with double doors. Garden has a conservatory style living room with windows on three sides, space for small kitchen and dining room and double doors opening onto the East courtyard, the small orchard and vegetable garden beyond.
Outside: The garden has been landscaped and planted to create a series of spaces for relaxing and eating. There are 12 different such areas throughout the garden. The garden looks particularly lovely in Spring as planting along the drive includes Daffodils, Cyclamen, Ornamental Cherry, varieties of Crab Apples, Crimson King Acer, Rowan, Oak; Pine and False Acacia. At the start of the drive there is a large, dry wood lap shed for the mowers and larger garden tools (entirely constructed from one of the garden pines after it had to be felled).
The main sloping garden faces south- east and is in the sun from dawn until early evening. It is partly laid to lawn but designed to be relatively easy to look after, informally and naturally arranged with herb filled borders, shrubs a small pond and bog garden, specimen trees and a series of sitting and eating areas.
There is a decked pergola with wisteria clematis and jasmine; a series of small borders against the remnants of the old Victorian wall, planted with a mix of flowers and herbs, lead to an upper tiled patio surrounded by Fatsia, Hazel, Magnolia, Walnut, Pear, Fig and a group of mature Silver Birch.
Bordering the field below is the summerhouse and garden shed/workshop fully equipped with electrical power points, hot and cold with running water, toilet and sinks. The shed looks out on a decked area and border with Hibiscus, Monkey Puzzle tree, Palm and a Bamboo grove.
Between the main garden and the house there is yet another decked area for sitting, surrounded by a planted low wall, winter flowering cherry and herbs. The whole garden is planted in a free manner, to need minimal maintenance, with shrubs, herbs and trees that allows it to blend naturally into the woodland above and the landscape surrounding it which in early Spring is ablaze with gorse, hawthorn and sometimes fox gloves.
From Windrush it is just nine miles to the University and seaside town of Aberystwyth; eight miles to the Georgian Harbour Town of Aberaeron; half an hour to Lampeter and to the West Wales Heritage coastline at New Quay; an hour from Carmarthen and the link road to the M4. The local and National bus services all stop in the village and connect to Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Carmarthen, Lampeter and Machynlleth as well as Cardiff and Swansea. From Aberystwyth and Carmarthen there are rail links to Shrewsbury, Birmingham, Manchester, Swansea and London.
Llanrhystud has a flourishing village infants and primary school and there is a dedicated bus service to the secondary schools in Abersytwyth and Aberaeron.
The property is connected to fibre optic broad band with BT at 900 Mb and has digital land line in addition.

The Old Vicarage - Ground Floor

Stone and slate tiled porch with original wide Victorian outer door leading to an inner glass and pitch pine doorway and wide tiled hallway.

Sitting Room (5.13 m x 4.52 m (16'10" x 14'10"))

Sitting Room with two sash windows each with original pine shutters, wood-burning stove on a slate hearth.

Front Reception Room /Study (4.06 m x 3.66 m (13'4" x 12'0"))

Front Reception Room /Study with two windows including original pine shutters to the front window.

Dining Room (5.18 m x 4.57 m (17'0" x 15'0"))

Dining Room with marble fireplace and wood-burning stove; large sash windows with original shutters, slate hearth with wood-burning stove.

Breakfast Room (4.20 m x 3.80 m (13'9" x 12'6"))

Breakfast Room with oil-fired Rayburn Royal / built-in original dresser/ and original brass servants bells; large window with woodland view.

Kitchen (5.94 m x 4.20 m (19'6" x 13'9"))

Kitchen fitted with a mix of oak and off white cabinets; cabinet lighting; double ceramic sink; oak worktops; lpg supply; three windows affording courtyard and woodland views.

Utility Room

Utility Room has a Belfast sink; fitted cupboards; Worcester Central Heating Boiler/ washing machine and dryer points; toilet.

Cellars

There are 4 cellar rooms running underneath the full length of the front portion of the house with access door and slate steps down from back corridor. The cellars are aired and partially lit by small windows but also maintain the correct atmosphere through the slate and walls ‘breathing’ in response to climate. Very useful as wine cellar and storage space. At the front of the house there is a large high ceiling inner hallway with Canadian pitch pine panelled cloakroom/ shoe cupboard; pitch pine bannisters and wide easy rise main staircase leading to spacious landing.

Bedroom 1 (5.10 m x 4.34 m (16'9" x 14'3"))

With white marble and cast iron fireplace; view to the hills and village.

Bedroom 2 (5.18 m x 4.47 m (17'0" x 14'8"))

With white marble and cast iron fireplace; view to the hills and village.

Bedroom 3 (4.22 m x 4.22 m (13'10" x 13'10"))

With original cast iron fireplace; view towards Cardigan Bay.

Bedroom 4 (4.37 m x 4.24 m (14'4" x 13'11"))

With fitted washbasin and vanity unit; fitted wardrobe and cupboard; woodland view.

Bedroom 5 (3.05 m x 2.70 m (10'0" x 8'10"))

Single bedroom; en-suite (shower, toilet and washbasin); fitted wardrobe and cupboard; view to Coach House courtyard.

Bedroom 6 (2.74 m x 1.83 m (9'0" x 6'0"))

Single bedroom; at present used as a study, view towards Cardigan Bay.

Family Bathroom

With extra-large bath and shower, washbasin and large airing cupboard with a fully insulated hot water cylinder.

Separate WC

View of the garden; with washbasin.

Landing

Large spacious landing with fitted linen cupboard and access to the second staircase leading down to back door and attic.

Attic

Access via fitted door/safety ladder to very large attic partially floored for easy maintenance and offering extra storage space. The attic has lighting is most of the floor area is deeply insulated. There are two Velux windows allowing a view of roof valleys and tiles and access for maintenance when necessary.

Coach House

The former Coach House and stables of the Old Vicarage were granted full planning permission for two-holiday cottages/artist’s studio. All building stages have been completed and fully approved by the Building Inspector to just beyond First Fix. The conversion comprises the following with the design allows for adjoining door should the two units be let to one group:

Unit 1, Woodland Cottage

Ground Floor:
• Large kitchen with wooden and glass doors opening to courtyard and window to East Courtyard
• Step up to a large reception room/studio, half of which is to the full height of the roof with exposed pine beams and includes staircase leading to the bespoke hand-made curved mezzanine. This room is designed to have a wood-burning stove on slate base, underfloor heating and has wood and glass doors opening to West courtyard, and stable door opening to rear East courtyard, with covered veranda.
Upstairs:
• At the top of the stairs on left there is an exit to a decking area at rear and wooden stairs leading to the upper sun deck and private path to Ceredigion Coastal Path.
• Off the mezzanine is Bedroom 1 designed with bathroom and separate WC. The bedroom has views of woodland, garden and across the valley from windows on three sides.
• Bedroom 2 is designed to have two single beds; bathroom and low window with views of the West Courtyard as well as Velux windows.

Unit 2, Garden Cottage

Ground Floor:
• Large reception room in two halves:
• Compact kitchen area/dining room.
• Conservatory style sitting room with full height windows at edges under curved mezzanine; glass and wooden door open to the East Courtyard.
• Bedroom 1. With wide doorways to allow for disabled access. Widows to both West courtyard and south views. Original fireplace. Ensuite bathroom designed as a wet room with walk-in shower, sink, toilet; window to side.
Upstairs:
• Staircase leads to a wide landing /sitting area lit by two Velux windows.
• Bedroom 2 large gabled, exposed beam bedroom designed to also provide an ensuite bathroom and toilet. Bespoke curved mezzanine sitting area, large glass windows affording beautiful views across the garden and valley towards South East.

Outside

The property is approached via a sweeping tarmacadam driveway leads to a large parking area with space for several vehicles and leads to the heart of the beautifully arranged woodland and garden grounds amounting to approximately three acres in total. The garden has been landscaped and planted to create a series of spaces for relaxing and eating, perfect for viewing the range of wildlife including Buzzard, Rook and Dove families as well as visiting Red Kite, Woodpecker, Swifts, and many varieties of smaller garden birds and butterflies.

The Gardens

The gardens themselves are mostly south-east facing and enjoy the sun from dawn until early evening with a variety of decked areas and patios the perfect place to take in a sunset. Further, a wealth of mature plants and trees lace the grounds as well as a small orchard and a range of outbuildings including a fabulous summer house and garden shed/workshop.

Situation

Windrush is located on the outskirts of the village of Llanrhystud, situated only 9 miles to the University and seaside town of Aberystwyth; 8 miles to the Georgian Harbour Town of Aberaeron; half an hour from Lampeter and to the West Wales Heritage coastline at New Quay; an hour from Carmarthen and the link road to the M4.

The village services include shop and post office, the Black Lion pub and restaurant, a church and chapel, village primary school and a petrol station with a small supermarket. In addition, there is a golf course and private leisure club with pool and gym a short walk away and opportunities for both river and sea fishing.

The local and national bus services all stop in the village and connect to Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Carmarthen, Lampeter and Machynlleth as well as Cardiff and Swansea. From Aberystwyth and Carmarthen here are rail links to Shrewsbury, Birmingham, Manchester, Swansea and London etc.